Mechanical toothbrush and the like



July 31, 1962 Filed Nov. 2,, 1960 F. WEPFER MECHANICAL TOOTHBRUSH ANDTHE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

BY 7W July 31, 1962 wEPFER MECHANICAL TOOTHBRUSH AND THE LIKE 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 2, 1960 INVENTOR. f -9M Filed Nov. 2, 1960,Ser. No. 66,761

6 Claims. (CI. 1522) I The present invention refers to a mechanicaltoothbrush and the like implement such as gum massage brushes andalthough reference will mainly be made to toothbrushes, it is herebyunderstood that the expression toothbrush? does not expressly limit theinvention thereto. I

The correct cleaning of the teeth requires that the bristles of theconventional toothbrush are moved up and down from the roots to the tipsof the teeth and not sidewise along the rows, as is usually done. If theconventional toothbrush is correctly used, after a rather short periodof usage the bundles of bristles spray apart rendering the deviceinoperative, particularly in view of the fact that generally anexcessive pressure is applied on the toothbrush. In many cases theexcessive pressure may even harm the gum.

It has been thought that if the user is able to carry out theconventional incorrect movement along the row of the teeth and at thesame time the toothbrush ismechanically driven so as to rotate with areciprocating movement about the longitudinal axis of the handle, thatan almost perfect result is achieved and particularly the differentinterstices are thoroughly cleaned. In addition, the bristles ofthetoothbrush of the present invention are substantially radially arrangedwith regard to the center of rotation, so that the free ends of thebristle define a substantially semicylindrical surface whereby it isassured that during. the cleaning action all bristle tips willsubstantially enter in contact with the surfaces of the teeth I to becleaned. 7

It may be added that with the toothbrush, according to the presentinvention, a thorough cleaning of the teeth may be carried out atconsiderable less time than using the conventional type of toothbrush.

According to the present invention, the handle is divided into a mainhandle portion having preferably an electric motor for driving with areciprocating rotary movement a shaft projecting out of said main handleand on which a stem-like connecting member integral with a brush orsimilar member is removably mounted. Thus, the main handle may be usedas a permanent unit and the stem-like connecting member and brush or thelike may be replaced by another unit when worn out.

In order to facilitate the comprehension of'the present inventionreference will now be made by way of example to several specificembodiments in'relationship to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the mechanized toothbrush,according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view, partially in section of the toothbrush.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section of a detail showing the coupling of thestem-like connecting member with the main handle.

FIG. 4 is a cross section through line IV--IV of FIG. 2, but showing therack in the uppermost position.

FIG. 5 is a similar view as FIG. 4, and showing the rack in anintermediate position.

FIG. 6 is a cross section through line VIVI of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a schematic lay-out of another mechanical driving arrangement.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a gum massaging implement.

brush according to the present invention consists of a 5 main holder 1and a removable stem-like connecting member 2 integral with a brush 3.

The main holder 1 consists of a semicylindrical housing 4 and asemicylindrical cover member 5 (FIG. 1) which when linked togetherdefine the rear portion of the main holder 1 which in its frontportion-is provided 7 with a partition 6.

The main holder 1 further comprises a tapered front portion 7 ending ina cylindrical discharge member 8 having a tubular axial bearingprojection 9 (see also FIG. 3). I a

An electric motor 10 is mounted in a suitable support 11 integral withthe semicylindrical housing 4. The electric motor 10 comprises a drivingshaft 12 having a pinion 13 meshing with an intermediate gear 14 mountedon an intermediate shaft 15 supported by a bearing 16 integral with thesemicylindrical housing 4. The intermediate shaft 15 further supports anintermediate pinion 17 meshing with a second gear 18 mounted on asecondshaft 19, rotatably supported in a-second bearing 2t) again integralwith the semicylindrical housing 4. The second shaft 19 further supportsa disc 21 to which a connecting rod 22 is pivoted by means of pivot pin23 (seealso FIG. 4). A rack 24 is slidably arranged in a channelledguide 25 (see also FIG. 1) and pivoted by means of a second pivot pin 26to the other end of the connecting rod 22. The teeth 27 of the rack 24are directed. towards an open side of'the channelled guide 25 so as'tomesh with a rack pinion 28 mounted on a toothbrush driving shaft 29. Thetoothbrush driving shaft 29 passes through the partition 6 and thetapered front portion 7 to finally project out'of the tubular axialbearing projection 9 in form of a square coupling end 30'. Thetoothbrush driving shaft 29 is mounted on a pair of'bearings 31, 32, ofwhich bearing 31 is arranged in the tip portion of the tapered frontportion 7 (FIG. 3), while the bearing 32 is mounted within the tubularaxial bearing projection 9. r

A switch 33 is interconnected in one of a pair of feeding cables 34which project out of the rear portion of the main holder 1. The feedingcables 34 are to be connected to an electric current supply source (notshown) which when switch 33 established the connection will feed theelectric motor 10. j A discharge disc 35 is mounted on the toothbrushdriving shaft 29, within the cylindrical dischargemernber 8 and in frontof a circle of discharge holes 36.-

The stem-like connecting member 2 forms in its front portion the back 2of the bristles defining the brush 3, and in 'its rear portion acup-like end 2" which may be mounted on the tubular axial bearingprojection 9 in such a way as to cover the latter and the squarecoupling end 30 will thus enter a square blind perforation 37, wherebythe stem-like connecting member 2 is coupled to the square coupling end30. If desired, as shown in FIG; 9, the square coupling end 30 may beprovided with a resilient clutching band member 38, in which event thesquare blind perforation 37 would have to be provided with a suitabledepression.

39, such as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3, whereby a better couplingis achieved, as will be readily understood by anybody skilled in theart.

The bristles 40 of the brush 3, asmay be appreciated in FIG. 6, aresubstantially somewhat radially arranged so that the free tips of saidbristles 40 define an arc of V substantially semicylindrical shape.

As to the operation of the toothbrush according to the presentinvention, it will be understood that upon rotating the driving shaft12, due to the transmission of the pinions and gears 13, 14, 17, 18, thedisc 21 will likewise rotate and said rotary movement will betransformed into a reciprocating rotary movement by means of theconnecting rod 22, as will be readily appreciated by comparing FIGS, 4and 5. Thus, the rack 24 will carry out an up and downward movementwithin the guide 25 and therefore the rack pinion 28 will carry out areciprocating rotary movement and transmit the latter to the toothbrushdriving shaft 29, whereby the desired movement of the brush 3 isachieved.

Since it might be possible that some water leaks during use through thebearing 32 and may run along the toothbrush driving shaft 29, thedischarge disc 35 will act as a barrier for said water and conduce ittowards the periphery of said disc 35, whereby the water will bedeposited on the inner wall of the cylindrical discharge member 8 andgradually discharged through the discharge holes 36. Thus, it is assuredthat no water will enter the driving compartment.

It may be added, that at least one of the gears or pinion should be madeof an electricity insulating material, so that it is assured that nocurrent is conducted towards the square coupling end 30.

Instead of using a brush 3, other implements may be provided, such asshown in FIG. 8, wherein a gum massage device 41 is shown, usually madeof rubber or resilient plastic material.

Although the driving arrangement just described is the preferred one, itwill be obvious that many other types of arrangements could be used. Forinstance, in FIG. 7 the toothbrush driving shaft 29 is connected to adisc 42 which may be directly driven by the shaft 12 of the electricmotor through a crank 43 and connecting rod 44 which are pivotedtogether by pivot pin 45 and the crank 43 in turn is eccentricallypivoted by pivot pin 46 to the disc 42.

I claim:

:1. Drive means for an electrically operated toothbrush comprising anelongated housing defining a main handle, an electric motor in saidhousing, a toothbrush shaft projecting out of said housing, atransmission means interconnecting said motor and said shaft forrotationally oscillating said shaft, said housing having a front endportion defining a discharge member, said shaft having a free endprojecting through said discharge member, a partition sealinglyseparating said discharge member from the remainder of said housing,discharge means for discharging liquid from said discharge member, saiddischarge means being defined by said discharge member having at leastone perforation therethrough providing communication between theinterior of said discharge member and the exterior thereof, and at leastone disc mounted on said toothbrush shaft in said discharge memher, saiddisc being spaced apart and positioned forwardly of said perforation,said free end of said toothbrush shaft being adapted to receive atoothbrush member.

2. Drive means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing comprises atapered front portion including said partition, said tapered frontportion terminating in a cylindrical member defining said dischargemember, and wherein said discharge means is defined by said dis chargemember having therethrough a plurality of circumferentially spaced apartperforations, said disc being mounted on said toothbrush shaft in frontof said plurality of perforations.

3. Drive means as claimed in claim 2, wherein said tapered front portionends in a tip portion within said cylindrical discharge member, said tipportion having therein a bearing for said toothbrush shaft, said tipportion projecting beyond the plane defined by said perforations.

4. Drive means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electric motorincludes a drive shaft, and said transmission means comprises a pinionon said driving shaft, an intermediate shaft rotatably supported by saidhousing having an intermediate gear and an intermediate pinion,

, said intermediate gear meshing with said first-mentioned pinion, asecond shaft rotatably supported by said housing, a second gear and adisc mounted on said second shaft, said second gear meshing with saidsecond-mentioned pinion, means interconnecting said toothbrush shaft andsaid disc mounted on said second shaft, the lastnamed means transformingrotary motion into rotary oscillating motion.

5. A drive means as claimed in claim 4, wherein said last-named meansincludes a connecting rod pivotally connected to said disc on saidsecond shaft, a channeled guide mounted on said partition, a rackslidably arranged in said channeled guide, said connecting rod beingpivotally connected to said rack, said rack having teeth, said channeledguide having an open side facing the teeth of said rack, and a rackpinion mounted on said toothbrush shaft and meshing with said teeth ofsaid rack through said open side.

6. Drive means as claimed in claim 4, wherein said last-named meansincludes a crank pivotally and eccentrically connected to said disc onsaid second shaft, and a rod pivotally connected to said crank, said rodbeing journalled to said tooth brush shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,869,991 White et a1. Aug. 2, 1932 1,997,352 Van Fleet Apr. 9, 19352,121,233 Horton June 21, 1938 2,158,738 Baker et al May 16, 19392,445,819 Bell July 27, 1948 2,515,342 Glaser July 18, 1950 2,893,250Moore July 7, 1959 2,917,758 Held et a1. Dec. 22, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS341,474 Switzerland Nov. 30, 1959

